The present invention relates to mats such as automotive accessory floor mats and, more particularly, to molded mats.
It is often desirable to minimize environmental noise. For example, it may be desirable to reduce noise levels in the interior of an automobile in order to improve the comfort of occupants. Sources of such noise may include or be affected by road surface, tire construction, drivetrain noise, exhaust noise, chassis and suspension noise, wind noise and the like. Automobile manufacturers have expended substantial effort and expense to reduce cabin noise.
According to embodiments of the present invention, a multi-layer acoustically absorptive mat includes a base layer, a face layer, and an acoustic absorbing layer. The base layer includes a central portion and a peripheral portion around the central portion. A plurality of apertures are formed in the peripheral portion in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship. The face layer is disposed adjacent the base layer, and the acoustic absorbing layer is interposed between the peripheral portion of the base layer and the face layer. The acoustic absorbing layer includes a respective exposed portion extending across each of the apertures. The central portion of the base layer is directly bonded to the face layer and the absorbing layer is adhesively secured to the face layer. The exposed portions of the acoustic absorbing layer may extend outwardly from the respective apertures beyond the base layer.
Objects of the present invention will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the figures and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow, such description being merely illustrative of the present invention.